Senior US official to attend talks over Iran’s nuclear plan

Xinhua Washington, July 16 (Xinhua) A senior US official will attend the meeting this weekend between European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran’s chief negotiator Saeed Jalili over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns will be present during the Geneva talks as a gesture of Washington’s commitment to a peaceful solution, media reports said.

Burns would be at the meeting to “reiterate that our terms for negotiations remain the same, that Iran must suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities,” an official said.

“This is a one-time event and he will be there to listen, not negotiate,” The Washington Post quoted the unidentified official as saying.

Solana and Jalili will be meeting Saturday in Geneva to discuss a package of incentives offered by the five veto powers plus Germany to dissuade Iran from uranium enrichment activities.

Iran has repeatedly asserted that it would not suspend its enrichment activities but is open to talks without preconditions. Xinhua